Jenkins Kata 6: Deploying Containers (Step 4–6)

Step 4: Define a QA environment deployment job#

The following are the steps to define a QA environment deployment job:

• Return to the Jenkins tab.
• Click the “Jenkins” icon at the top left.
• Click “New Item.”
• Enter “qa-deploy-storelist” in the item name field.
• Select “Freestyle project.”
• Click “OK.”

• Click the “Build Steps” tab.
• Select “Add build step.”
• Select “Execute shell.”
• Enter the following commands:

• Click “Save”

• Click “Build Now.”

• Click back to “Dashboard.”
• Select the “dev-deploy-storelist” job.
• Click “Configure.”
• Click the “Post-build Actions” tab.
• Select “Add post-build action.”
• Select “Build other projects (manual step).”
• Enter “qa-deploy-storelist” in the “Downstream Project Names” field.
• Click “Save.”

This step connects the dev-deploy-storelist job to the qa-deploy-storelist job. The configuration is very similar to the previous step, with one key difference: the dev-deploy-storelist job is now configured to execute qa-deploy-storelist as a “Build other projects” manual post-build step instead of an automated step. The manual post-build step was added by the Build Pipeline plugin. We’ll have an opportunity to see the effect of a manual post-build step at the end of this kata when we add a pipeline view.

The manual post-build action requires human intervention to execute. Depending on the application and organizational policies, some deployments can be fully automated. Some deployments, however, may still require approvals from IT staff or management. This configuration represents a deployment pipeline in which a release to the QA environment requires human approval.

Step 5: Define a production deployment job#

The following are the steps to define a production deployment job:

• Click back to “Dashboard.”
• Click “New Item.”
• Enter “prod-deploy-storelist” in the “Enter an item name” field.
• Select “Freestyle project.”
• Click “OK.”

• Click the “Build Steps” tab.
• Select “Add build step.”
• Select “Execute shell.”
• Enter the following commands:

• Click “Save.”

• Click “Build Now.”

• Click back to “Dashboard.”
• Select the “qa-deploy-storelist” job
• Click “Configure.”
• Click the “Post-build Actions” tab.
• Click “Add post-build action.”
• Select “Build other projects (manual step).”
• Enter “prod-deploy-storelist” in the “Downstream Project Name” field.
• Click “Save.”

The CD pipeline is now complete. Releases to the Dev environment are automated. Releases to QA and Prod require human approval.

• Return to the terminal window.
• List all the running containers as follows:

docker container ls

There are now four containers running: one for each environment and the private Docker registry.

Step 6: Add a pipeline view#

The following are the steps to add a pipeline view:

• Click the plus (“+”) sign next to the “All” view tab.
• Enter “storelist-pipeline” in the “Name” field.
• Select “Build Pipeline View.”
• Click “OK.”

• Find the “Pipeline Flow” section.
• Set the “Select Initial Job” to “web-storelist.”
• Click “OK.”

• Click the trigger icon in the qa-deploy-storelist job.

• Click the trigger icon in the prod-deploy-storelist job.

The Build Pipeline plugin adds a new view type to Jenkins. This view type presents a visual representation of the relationship between the build and deployment jobs created in this kata.

When one job A is configured to execute another job B, job B is a downstream job of job A. You can see this relationship in the order of the cards that represent each job. The “Run” button at the top of the view will start a new build pipeline execution starting with the web-storelist job. This executes web-storelist and then dev-deploy-storelist automatically, as configured.

The qa-deploy-storelist and prod-deploy-storelist jobs must be executed manually. Jenkins can be extended and configured to notify users when a build is ready to be manually executed as part of a build pipeline and to require approval for the execution from specific users.